1 Thessalonians 3:9–10 (ESV): "9 For what thanksgiving can we return to God for you, for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God, 10 as we pray most earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith?" When the Church gathers physically significant things are going on behind the...
1 Thessalonians 2:10–12 (ESV): "10 You are witnesses, and God also, how holy and righteous and blameless was our conduct toward you believers. 11 For you know how, like a father with his children, 12 we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom an...
1 Thessalonians 2:1–2 (ESV): "2 For you yourselves know, brothers, that our coming to you was not in vain. 2 But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict." The Gospel has always been a source of contenti...
1 Thessalonians 1:4–5 (ESV): "4 For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, 5 because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction." What does it mean to be chosen by God? How does one know they are chosen? The evidence is found in the person and work of the Hol...
Colossians 4:5–6 (ESV): "5 Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. 6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person." We are free to live but not however we want. As representatives of Christ, we must live as if others are watching us because they ...
Colossians 3:23–24 (ESV): "23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ." Motives matter to God. He cares about why we are doing what we are doing. Our only motive in the Christian life should be to bring H...
Colossians 3:1–4 (ESV): "If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then ...
Colossians 2:15 (ESV): "15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him."We overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the world of our testimony! Jesus has conquered sin and death on our behalf. Not only this but He has also humiliated every principality and power that stands in opposition to Hi...
Colossians 2:6–7 (ESV): "6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving." Walking in Christ is the second part of receiving Him. It's passive to receive, He is a gift given to us, but to walk in Him requires a...
Colossians 1:24–26 (ESV): "24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, 25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, 26 ...
Colossians 1:17 (ESV): "17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together."Do you ever feel like life is spiraling out of control and no one can stop it? Understand this, life is on a specific course ordained by our Creator and thus it can only go where He allows it to go. Life is never out of control because it's in the capa...
Colossians 1:3–5 (ESV): "3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, 5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven."The hope of heaven should produce faith and love in us that others would hear abou...
Philippians 4:19 (ESV): "19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus." Man has needs in this world and beyond and there is only one who can supply them. God is our supply and because of this, we can rest easy because He has endless resources to accomplish this. Helping others is at the core of...
Philippians 4:11–13 (ESV): "11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 13 I can do all things through him wh...
Philippians 4:4–5 (ESV): "4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand." Living with the expectancy of the imminent return of Christ changes how we think and how we live. We rejoice always knowing that every event that occurs brings us one step closer to the R...
Philippians 3:13–14 (ESV): "13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.""Never forget where you came from," they say. It helps a person stay grounde...
Philippians 2:9–11 (ESV): "9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."Have you ever wondered why J...
Philippians 2:3–4 (ESV): "3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others."Who has two thumbs and a tendency to be selfish as all get out? 🫵 The flesh has one operating mode...to look out ...
Philippians 1:21–24 (ESV): "21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. 24 But to remain in the flesh is more ...
Philippians 1:9–11 (ESV): "9 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God." Lov...